“Unexpected Babies” Marketing Stunt Hits Facebook

A Brazilian advertising agency found an interesting way to market condoms, albeit violating Facebook’s policies, to potential customers on the social network.

The advertising campaign, “Unexpected Babies”, sent unsuspecting men a “friend request” from their unborn child, with the message “Avoid surprises like this one. Use Olla Condoms“.

Each faux-child shared the name of their father, with a “Jr.” slapped on, essentially scaring the bejesus out of the recipient. Upon clicking the profile, they were greeted with an advertisement for Olla Condoms stating: “Olla Condoms. Several types of preservatives for you to enjoy without any surprises.”

The ad agency put out the following about the marketing campaign:

Facebook spokeswoman, Annie Ta, told Pay Dirt, “Facebook has always been based on a real name culture, and we believe this his leads to greater accountability and a safer and more trusted environment for the people who use our service … It’s a violation of our policies to use a fake name or operate under a false identity.” Ta went on to encourage people to report anyone doing this via the report link, which can be found on nearly every page of Facebook.

It would be one thing if this campaign offered free condoms, or at the very least discounted ones, since yesterday was World AIDS Day. Overall this guerilla marketing campaign comes off as a gimmick or a stunt.

What do you think of the “Unexpected Babies” marketing campaign? Tell us your thoughts in the comment area below.